


Foolish enough

by orphan_account



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Demon Deals, Gender-Neutral Apprentice (The Arcana), Multi, Other, Time Travel, alternatie universe in a way, because of course, let's see how it goes, never wrote poly in my life, though I imagine it's a girl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:27:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26749480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The Apprentice gets their own three-card reading, which opens their past, present and future.Three is a magic number, after all.
Relationships: Apprentice/Asra/Julian Devorak
Kudos: 6





	1. The past and the present

**Author's Note:**

> Post-prologue action for those of you who wished for Asra AND Julian route.  
> SPOILERS FOR ASRA'S AND JULIAN'S BOOKS.  
> Also, English is not my native language

… I see Asra reaching toward me, toward the water. His touch scatters the image and he’s gone. Faust looks disappointed, curled on the edge of the pool, as I rise to my feet. 

‘Come, Faust. I know. We’ll meet him again soon’ 

As I say this, I see shadow of a doubt rise in the snake’s eyes. Faust looks at me with a slightest hint of confusion and her whisper rings in my ears:

_‘Friend?’_

She crawls closer to the water with her head nearly touching the surface.

 _‘Friend?’_ she asks again, her red eyes moving between my face and something she sees in the waters of the fountain. I turn to the pool again, hoping to see Asra return, but instead I only see my own reflection. 

‘He’s not coming, Faust’, I repeat to the snake, ‘You know that’.

Somehow… as I say this… something feels really off. I look at my own reflection once again and that’s when it strikes me. 

I talk and I move. 

My reflection doesn’t. 

Instead, I see a sad smile appear on my own face, as my reflection reaches out for me, inviting me to take their hand. That smile… I feel such sorrow hide behind it that I can’t help myself. 

Feeling the slightest tingle of forthcoming headache, I take my own hand. 

The world goes dark.

***

I open my eyes and I find myself standing on the beach. The palace garden is gone, and so is Faust. I hear quite sound of the waves crushing against the shore, thick gray sand still warm beneath my feet after hot day in Vesuvia. There’s nothing really magical about the landscape around me, yet I immediately realize that this is Arcana realm once again. I don’t see Asra anywhere near me, but there’s a strong sensation of someone’s presence nearby. It feels familiar and alien at the same time. However, it doesn’t feel dangerous. Not right now.

‘Is anybody here?’ I ask, looking around frantically. I hear a familiar laugher behind my back, and as I turn, I see a hooded figure standing right next to me.

‘No, not really’, the stranger says. ‘I’d say… it’s just you here’.

‘Who are you?’ question makes the stranger laugh once again. Their voice… 

‘It doesn’t really matter, right now. You took my hand, which means you’re ready to accept help you so desperately need. And I am… I am here to provide it’.

That voice… this person, this entity, whoever they are - they took my identity, I realize that now. It’s nothing but an illusion, but for some reason I don’t feel tricked. It’s almost like… the only person I could trust right here, right now, is no one but myself. Asra’s face comes to my mind, but with him, it’s always more questions than answers. No. The moment I stepped into palace I have only myself to rely on.

‘I don’t need help, especially not from Arcana. I know how dangerous it could be to get involved’. I say it firmly, and the more I look into the stranger’s posture the more I recognize my own features. The entity sighs the same way I would and shakes their head.

‘I knew you would say that. Such a fool. But I am not here to tempt you with foul promises, only to warn you. Come’.

Stranger moves their hands slightly, and with a swirl of magic, a table with two puffy chairs appears right before us. They are exactly the same as those from my shop. As I take a seat, the hooded figure lingers for a moment, absently touching the soft fabric of the tablecloth. 

‘Take out your cards’ they finally say, taking a seat right in front of me. They watch as I pull out the deck out of my pocket, and before I can react, they reach out and grab it. I exclaim in protest, but they just shake their head.

‘Don’t worry. I’ll give them back soon enough. But I want _you_ to get a reading for once’.

Huh? Give _me_ a reading? Long time ago, Asra used to do that all the time, I remember then. But then… he stopped. Why?

Something probably changes in my gaze, as the stranger clicks their tongue and puts the cards in front of me.

‘Some say the only way to get wiser is to ask more questions than to get more answers. It may work… for them. But not for you. I can’t promise you all the answers, but I tell you what - I’ll try to make things more clear for you’, they say, their voice soft and comforting. 

As if… they know how I feel.

‘Why do you hide your face?’ I ask, ‘I know you took my form and shape, so what’s the point?’.

‘We’re the same, yet we are different. I don’t want you to get distracted. Let’s do a classic three-card reading, shall we?’.

The same but different? What’s that supposed to mean? Unsure, I reach for the first card, and feel the entity’s burning gaze follow me.

‘Wait’, I hear their voice, ‘This one represents the past, and since we both know it’s a painful topic, it may be hard to get through. Take my hand. I’ll harbour you through the storm’.

I recognize that phrase - that’s what Asra used to say, when my headaches came. Eventually he taught me how to go through them by myself, but it was never easy.

As I pick and flip the card with one hand, I feel stranger’s cold touch with the other. I take quick glance at our hands, not at all surprised to find how similar they are.

I don’t even see the card when the world around me starts to spin. I feel… overwhelmed. It feels like the big red bubble just explodes inside my mind, hot and painful. Many visions and shades come to me at the same time, flooding me with emotions. It’s so painful and unreal that I desperately want to wake up from this nightmare, but the tight grip of stranger’s hand in mine keeps me steady. Somehow, out of nowhere… it all comes to me. My memories. Like a storm, they wash over me, awakening the person I used to be. We melt and merge, fire burning both of us, until we are united.

My hands tremble as the storm stops. Stranger lets go off my hand and softly touches my face.

‘Are you all right?’ they ask quietly. I don’t know how to answer that, so I just… nod. I feel exhausted, broken, enraged… and complete. Full. 

‘I suppose, the headache is gone?’ the entity asks, and I notice their voice is weaker than before. ‘Good. I am happy. But it’s only the beginning, you know. We have two more cards to go’.

They take their hands off my face and point to the table. Even in my current state I can’t help but notice that the card I picked first is gone. 

‘Don’t worry. It is back in the deck, safe and sound. However, I don’t want you to know which card it was, so don’t even try to find out. Just in case, alright?’. 

I nod again, not sure how and when I will be able to talk.

‘Our time here is limited. As you grow strong, I… disappear. But that’s alright. It’s how it is supposed to be. So hurry up, and finish the job. The present card should be way nicer to you than the past was’.

They don’t hold my hand as I reach for the next card. The world around me takes another spin, but the entity is right - it’s not as bad as the first vision. 

In that moment see everything and everyone. If I wanted to, I could’ve traveled to the farthest corners of the world in a second. Instead, I turn my gaze to Vesuvia. I am an entity, not a creture of blood and bones, so I don’t need legs to leave the palace grounds. Soon I find myself out in the city. Some streets I visit rest in deep and quiet slumber, while others are full of life. I hear music and laughter as I walk by the tavern, and a familiar laughter feels my ears as I peek inside.

I notice Julian standing by the bar, gigantic beer mug in his hand, people gathering all around him to listen to what he has to say. Portia is there too, I notice, sitting silently in the corner, watching cautiously, but not without a smile hiding in the corners of her mouth.

As I turn away from the doors, I notice the stranger who made my card reading, standing there, by my side. Their gaze is linked on Julian, and as the wind blows, I see the hood come down a little bit. There’s nothing different in their face from mine, but there’s so much sorrow and exhaustion in their expression it makes me shiver. Whoever they are… they went through hell. 

I don’t want to be caught staring, so I step away into the darkness. At that moment, I feel something inside my chest pulling me away. I follow the feeling, and soon find myself in the woods near Vesuvia, a small stone building before me, hidden among the trees. I don’t need to come in to feel Asra’s presence there, and when I push the door opened, I am not surprised to find him lying on the big furry carpet by the stove. I don’t know who this place belongs to, but seeing Asra like this - sleeping, not really here, but in the magic realms - makes my heart ache. I don’t know what to make of it - he hid things from me, but knowing Asra, it was only to protect me… And yet he was the one to leave me alone in the first place.

I still don’t know how, but he brought me back to life. 

As I step around the room, looking around, I hear Asra move in his trans, waking up. I turn around and see him open his eyes. He doesn’t seem sleepy at all, moreover, he’s very alert when he watches the room.

‘Are you here?’ he asks finally, very quietly and almost… unsure. 

I feel my heart drop a beat as I fall on my knees beside him. I want to say ‘yes’, but I am too flustered and overwhelmed with emotions. But he doesn’t need to hear me, I understand, as his expression softens when I touch his hand with mine.

‘You have to go back’, Asra says softly, somehow looking in the exact direction I sit. ‘I’ll come tomorrow and we will talk, okay?’.

I nod and stand back on my feet. He’s right. And the stranger said, I don’t have much time, so I’d better hurry back.

As I turn around, I hear Asra call my name. His face is beaming with pride as he speaks.

‘Projecting yourself like this is very dangerous and it takes a lot of strength and skills. Yet somehow you pulled it off so brilliantly… you are amazing. Just know that, okay? See you tomorrow’

***

As I walk out of the door, I find myself on the beach again. The hooded figure is there, their face hidden once again, and as I take a sit in front of them, they move the last card to me.

‘There we go. The last threshold to cross. Are you ready?’

‘Yes’, I finally feel my voice coming back to me. Seeing everyone in Vesuvia made me feel alive again. ‘Should I be worried?’

The figure shrugs.

‘You’ll only see one potential outcome. I will be honest with you - it’s not gonna be great. Your choices are only yours to make, but please, learn your lessons from what you see’.

I am too tired to ask any more questions - instead, I reach for the last card. I feel ready when the world around me starts to spin.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. The future awaits

I don’t realize when the spinning stops, because I don’t have any ground to stand on. Instead, I float in the infinite space, magic twirling all around me. I laugh, as it tickles me and spins me around. For a moment, I feel relaxed. But then I remember everything I left behind and try to focus. Where am I? What is this place? It is supposed to be my future, after all.

Then, I notice them. Two figures, so far away from me I don’t really see them. I summon my strength and command magic turbulences bring me up and forward.

When I come closer, I see… myself. Not that exhausted, mournful vision that visited me in the fountain, but someone who’s very similar to myself right now. They are talking to a creature I haven’t met, yet the one that looks vaguely familiar to me. The creature looks like a dog, but they are more human-like... like a Major Arcana. Yet, something feels off about them.

I hear my own voice, but it’s not me speaking.

‘Take me to Julian, please’.

To Julian…?

The dog barks helplessly. Other version of me looks desperately around and sighs.

‘Listen, I don’t have anything to give you… except... Okay, maybe I do. Yes, I have something for you’.

They pull out the tarot deck out of their pocket and give it to the dog, without any hesitation. The dog barks and takes it. 

As I watch the two of them disappear, pulling me with them, I can’t help but ask - why would I give Asra’s deck away to find Julian? It must really be the life or death situation. And even still, I can’t imagine giving it up that easily.

As the dog leads us, I can’t help but wonder where we are. It doesn’t exactly look like the magic realm, neither it looks like Vesuvia, and still… it’s all the same. I feel strange deep vibration in the air, as I travel through this unfamiliar realm, and I can almost see how it weakens two of my companions, but not me. 

It’s a memory, I realize, as I look around. This realm can’t hurt me, because it’s not real. Still, there’s something unsettling about it, and I don’t want to linger here for long.

We stop right outside the tavern I visited not so long ago. I look at the dusted sign by the door I haven’t notice before - ‘The Rowdy Raven’. The name brings memories - during the plague, I went there to fetch some food for Julian. It was before… before I got sick. And after that, some of other Julian’s assistants brought food to me. He, however… he never did. I didn’t blame him, though - he was too busy for that.

When we come in, I can’t help but notice the tavern is in an awful state. It’s even worse than during the plague, I imagine, as I look around the dusty, half-ruined furniture. 

Absorbed in memories, I almost miss the beginning of conversation. But when I focus, my jaw drops.

The contrast between Julian I saw not so long ago, in the present, and the one standing before us right now is insane. This… version of him doesn’t look human at all. I recognize one of the Major Arcanas in his features - the Hanged man. He’s… more of a bird, than a man right now, and it’s almost beautiful, yet at the same time very scary. As he and the other me speak, I feel my heart ache. It doesn’t take long to realize how deeply they love each other. And how cruel and twisted this new world is, created by the Devil himself. 

As their conversation ends, and the two of them start drinking, drowning their sorrows in wine, I turn around and move towards the exit. I can’t help but ask myself - what happened to them? Where are the others? Where’s Asra? 

They mentioned the Devil… I automatically reach for the deck in my pocket only to find out it’s not there. Ah. This is why the hooded figure needed _my_ deck to do the reading. Their deck is… gone. 

As I open the door, I stumble upon this dog creature from before. It doesn’t see me, as it goes away, and I can’t help but follow. While we walk, the cosmos around us, usually stable and still, swiftly changes, as if a lot of time has passed. Somewhere along the way I start noticing something strange - dog whines, first quietly, and then louder and louder, as their gait becomes more limp with each step. 

I rush to them, only to see blood coming out of the big wound on their side. My hands move through it, unnoticed, as I try to stop the bleeding.

‘No!’ I exclaim, helplessly.

A huge shadow looms above us. I look up, only to see raven-like figure with the blooded knife in their hands.

‘I… I am sorry, Scout’, he pants, and I recognize Julian in that creature, looking even more hideous, than before. ‘But this is the only way’.

He reaches for the dog’s small body and takes it in his arms. Slowly, he brings it back to the Rowdy Raven. As we travel back, I realize how much this new Vesuvia changed, fallen to complete decay. And in this chaos, the only place unaltered, is the tavern.

I hear steps behind the door, as it swings open. The other me is there, standing by the door, shocked by what they see before them. 

Julian falls on his knees, holding the dog’s limp body close to his heart.

‘I… saw Asra in my sleep. He told me… he told me to do that… this is the only way’, he says, pain in his voice so deep it makes me, both of us, cry.

‘What are you talking about?’ the other me falls beside him, trying to unclench his grip still in shock, ‘Julian, this is another illusion!’.

He laughs sadly, and I see one of his hands move inside his pocket.

‘No, my love, it is not. Trust me, this time I knew it was him. I… I was so happy to see him. But he is right - this is really the only way to get you out of here. Oh, the things he’d do to save you… how much he loves you… we both love you…’

‘Wh… what are you talking about?’, I see myself sob in disbelief, but at the same time, I see Julian fetch the knife from his pocket. Before I can say anything, he put the knife to his throat.

‘JULIAN!’ both of us cry, as he smiles weakly.

‘When I die… you absorb our energy. Mine and Scout’s… we are both Major Arcanas now… Scout can travel through realms, and the Hanged man… well, Asra told me, it would be enough to get you out of here. We won't be saving the world, but we will save _you_ ’.

He speaks quickly, but the other me jumps on him, trying to get the knife out of his hands. They fight over Scout’s body, blood stains everywhere on their clothes, but Julian’s more desperate, stronger. He kisses the other me passionately, as his knife swings across his throat.

***

And then, there’s darkness. It slowly disappears as I find myself standing on the beach, with the card in my hand. I don’t need to look at it to see it’s name.

The Fool.

I realize, the mysterious figure is still there, but their presence is so weak I can see through them. They take off their hood, apologetic smile on their lips as they say:

‘You saw the future. You yourself must decide what to do with it… but I’d say… start with the ghost in the palace’.

As they speak, they become more and more translucent. I have so many questions, but I can’t bring myself to ask them, not even one. Instead, I watch them fade away.

‘I disappear, which means… it worked. It won’t happen again. Me and Julian, my Julian… we are erased from history… but no one and nothing can ever be erased from your memory. This is my final gift’.

Their whisper is lost in the sound of waves. They are gone.

***

I look around me, only to realize the beach I am standing on is none other than the Lazareth island. The place where it all ended for me… and the place where everything starts anew.

I close my eyes and breathe.

When I open them again, I see Faust’s worried face above me. I realize, I lay on the ground by the fountain. The sun is rising above Vesuvia, real Vesuvia, and it's not a dream.

‘ _Friend? Other friend?’_ the snakes asks in confusion, looking in my face with something close to fear.

I manage to stand up, still feeling a bit dizzy.

‘I am the same, Faust. And the other one… is gone’. 

It hurts, but I remember everything. My past, my present and my future.

‘Come on, let’s go get some sleep before breakfast’ I say as cheerfuly as possible, reaching out for Faust to slip into my sleeve. 


	3. The truth

The next morning Nadia is pinned to her bed with one of her infamous headaches, so I am not really obliged to look for Julian. However, I feel like I have to talk to him, so I ask servants around about Portia’s whereabouts, and I soon find myself drinking tea with her at her cottage. Her cat is purring by my side, as I lazily scratch it’s ear and look around with curiosity I can’t hide.

‘You and Julian are so different’, I say with a smile, ‘I can’t imagine him being this neat in his habits’.

Portia chuckles.

‘Yes, he is not very organized, that’s true… but why does it sound like you know him well?’.

Her question is so direct and open, it catches me off-guard. I know I am supposed to look for him, but I also know she’s not interested in finding him. It’s not hard to guess they are related, especially now, when I remember him mentioning his sister back during the epidemic. I can see tension in Portia’s posture. She’s a bit suspicious of me, I guess.

‘I… turns out, I do know him well enough. Or, at least, I used to. I used to work for the plague clinic as his apprentice, but… well, let’s just say it didn’t work out very well’.

‘I see’, Portia’s face relaxes. ‘It was tough for him, the epidemic. And then this murder… I’m sure he didn’t do it, but yesterday I spoke to him and… oh well, this idiot is all about finding out the truth no matter the cost’.

‘I want to find the truth myself’, I nod, ‘Do you know where he went? I’d like to have a word with him. As you probably guessed, I am not very eager to give him to Nadia just yet’.

‘Yes, otherwise you wouldn’t let him into your shop, huh? Okay, I’ll tell you where he spends his nights… or, err, should I say mornings, knowing how much time he spends at taverns at nights. Wait a sec, I’ll fetch somewhere to write on!’.

***

And just like that, I am off in the city, looking out for the house of a woman called Mazelinka. Portia explained to me who she is and how to gain her trust, but I still feel uneasy. South End is full of life, and I can’t help but look into the faces of people around me, looking for Julian. 

Just as I turn around the corner, I hear a loud BANG!

A huge fruit cart slams into the wall next to me, pieces of wood and fruit juice bursting all around me. I barely manage to jump back. 

‘I am sorry, I am so sorry, I’ll buy everything!’, I hear a familiar voice, and as I peek behind the cart, I see Julian giving a heavy purse to a man, presumably, the cart owner. As he yells ‘Fruit for everyone’, the crowd gathers around us. That’s when he finally notices me and calls me by my name, smiling charmingly.

‘What a surprise’, he says, dragging me out of the crowd, his hand cold against my sleeveless elbow.

‘I was looking for you’, I say, feeling uneasy. I saw this man die in my arms, and it’s a sight not easy to forget. Still… there’s a lot we need to discuss. ‘Is there a place we can talk, in private?’.

He is startled by the suggestion, yet he grins at me and takes my hand. Soon enough we find ourselves near the tavern, luckily, not Rowdy Raven. I don’t know if I am able to go there once again.

As we order some food and take our seats, I bite my lip, trying to figure out where to begin. Julian looks at me shamelessly, flirtation in his eyes. I can’t help but laugh as he winks at me awkwardly with an eye-patch on the other eye. 

‘We knew each other before, haven’t we?’ I ask finally. He thinks about it for a second, then shakes his head.

‘No, I don’t recall meeting you before. Although, I must admit, when I first met you at the shop, you felt… familiar to me. Is that weird?’.

‘No, not really. I got the same feeling that day. However… I know for certain, you and I have met before. During the plague’.

‘Oh?’. I can see him getting even more pale than usual. I know it’s not an easy subject, but I feel like I should press it on.

‘I was your assistant’.

There’s silence. Then, his gaze moves from my face to his hands, as he says, finally:

‘I don’t remember much from the plague time, I am sorry. Something… happened to me the night Lucio died… I am not the same ever since’.

There’s so much uncertainty in his voice that I can’t help but reach out across the table and softly brush his knuckles with my fingers.

‘I know how that feels. In fact, I was lost myself until recently… but now my memories are back. I think yours can be brought back too’.

‘Really? And how are you planning to do that? With magic?’ he asks, suspiciously. I remember from the past how cautious he was about magic. He didn’t even want to hire me at first, but I managed to impress him with my somewhat helpful skills. And then… I think I even gave him a lesson or two. It was in the beginning, when things weren’t as bad, and we had some time to spend. And when the plague got to its’ peak… I died. I never knew how they beat the disease, but I think Asra had something to do with that. Now I know for sure he and Julian knew each other.

‘That’s one way of doing that, yes… there’s another. It’s way simpler, but in our situation, more complex - I think remembering was easier for me when I came to the place everything happened. Maybe… maybe if you visit the scene of the crime, or, or the clinic… you can remember the night Lucio died?’.

‘And why… why do you want to help me?’ he asks, looking at me wide-eyed. There’s something so pure and naive in that gaze, that I touch his hand once again, this time, in appreciation.

‘You were… important to me’, I want to say ‘will be’, but I know this line of the future is long gone, ‘and, I have a feeling if I don’t help you myself, you will surely get into trouble’.

He grins once again and nods, ‘True, that’s true’. His smile, however, goes blank, as he furiously shakes his head, ‘But I can’t let you go back there. It could be dangerous, and I… I don’t want anything bad happening to you’.

‘I am quite capable of taking care of myself, don’t you worry’, I say firmly and stand up. I give him my hand and he takes it, standing up next to me.

‘Meet me at Portia’s at midnight’, I say with a grin, ‘We’ll go goat-hunting’.

Feeling his confused look linger on me, I turn around and leave the tavern.

  
***

It’s almost sunset when I get to my shop, ready to fetch all the ingredients I may need for the ghost conjuring ritual. Not that this goat needs any ritual to be conjured at all, knowing how persistent he is… but I decided to get everything I may need anyway.

I am surprised to see the door’s open, but remembering Asra’s promise to come back, I am happy to see his scarf on one of the chairs. I hear footsteps, as Asra comes down to greet me, his hands opened wide to hug me. I rush forward to hug him back. He laughs as I sniff his hair, trying to understand where he’s been. It’s not hard to guess though - he still smells like forest, and burning wood, and wet fur - he’s probably spent all this time at this building I saw him. As he lets me go, he says my name softly.

‘I missed you, even though we’ve met more than once since I left’, he smiles, ‘How did you manage to pull it off? I knew you were talented, but…’

‘It’s a long story’, I stop him and he nods, ‘and before I tell it, I must ask you something important’.

‘Oh?’, he raises his eyebrows and sits on a chair, ‘I’m listening’.

I can’t help but notice a hint of worry in his eyes. I realize that he probably heard me asking questions about my past more than once, but it always ended up badly. Not this time, though. I am full of memories, and since they are not exactly mine - they are harmless.

‘How did you... bring me back to life?’

I see fear in Asra’s eyes, as he jumps on his feet and pulls me into a tight embrace.

‘How do you… are you alright?’ he asks, looking at me deeply. I nod.

‘I am fine. I remember now. I remember everything. For that, someone had to give up their life, but I will explain everything later. What worries me is… what did _you_ do to save me?’

‘The things you say worry me… but you really seem alright. Oh, how do I begin?’, he looks guilty, and I softly touch his cheek.

‘I remember you leaving, and I think you know better than to blame yourself for letting me stay. It’s not your fault I died, okay? Just tell me what happened afterwards’. 

My firm words work, as his shoulders relax when he proceeds with his story. We don’t break our embrace not for a moment. When I hear of him coming to an island only to find my earthly remains, I stop him. This is too much. Our lips meet halfway, and as we kiss, I feel him tremble, but the kiss is so soft and sweet, and soon Asra is calm, and we both feel way better.

The rest of his story is as sorrowful. When he’s done, we kiss again and again, until all is left is the beat of our hearts, the same for him and for me.

Finally, I step back, and he sighs.

‘I suppose now it’s your turn to ruin the mood?’ he says with a somewhat sad smile. I nod. 

‘I’ll tell you everything as we go to the palace, okay? I promised to meet Julian there’.

‘Julian?!’ Asra exclaims, ‘Whatever for?’

‘He needs my help. Whatever relationships the two of you had, whatever differences… it’s essential you put it aside, okay? The world is in danger and we need to cooperate to stop what’s to come’.

‘Wh… what are you talking about?’, my words seem to send a wave of fear onto Asra, but he pulls himself together and takes everything he needs to go to the palace. He watches me as I gather the ingredients for ritual but asks no questions.

I tell him everything on our way, as I don’t feel any point in hiding anything. If he’s upset by the fact this other me was in love with Julian, he doesn’t say so. However, I don’t think he is.

‘So, the Devil trapped Ilya and you soon joined him? And he was the Hanged man? By the way you describe everything, it sounds like…’

‘Like the border between realms was erased? I know’.

He looks impressed, and I smile shyly,

‘My memories brought me back some of my knowledge and skills. However, you were the best teacher’.

‘It’s easy to teach someone who already knows, just doesn’t remember’, Asra grins. 

As we approach the gates to the palace, I hear weak noise from the bushes on the left. As we both turn, we see Faust crawl to us quickly, her fangs visible in a happy smile. She wraps herself around Asra and hisses happily.

‘I missed you too’, Asra laughs.

We pace to the Portia’s cottage, unnoticed by anyone including the guards. As we get close, I feel Asra’s shoulders tense. I know he’s worried, so to distract him, I try something long forgotten - I touch his hand as we walk and pass him some of my own emotions: excitement, worry, and, most of all, love. Asra stops abruptly and looks at me in shock.

‘I… I forgot we did this. Sharing emotions’, he says and I just shrug, smiling at him. He kisses me in the cheek, as he whispers:

‘And here I thought you couldn't be even more amazing…’

I want to reply to that with something as sweet, but we are interrupted. The door of Portia’s cottage slams open, Julian standing there, looking from me to Asra with suspicion in his eyes.

‘Why is _he_ here?!’ he roars.


	4. The hunt

Everything happens so quickly I don’t even have time to react. The moment Julian opens the door and starts yelling, he’s pulled back inside and we hear an indistinguishable sound of someone being smacked. Next moment Portia appears on the doorstep, smiling to us and gesturing to us to come in, and hurry. 

As we enter the cottage, she closes the door and stares at us (but mostly,at Asra) with a curious look.

‘You are Asra, right? The famous magician? I heard sooo much about you!’ she starts, completely ignoring angry looks coming from the corner where Julian is seated. ‘I am Pasha, I mean, Portia, Ilya’s little sister’

A little bit overwhelmed with her hospitality, Asra shakes her hand. Portia pushes him to sit next to Julian, and the two of them avoid each others’ gazes, both looking at us. I can’t help but laugh at the sight of them, somehow looking so small under Portia’s charms. As she pours the tea, bubbling about how much she needs to learn about magic, I gather my thoughts and finally speak. Portia immediately stops talking, looking at me with respect and I send her a warm smile.

‘We have a huge task ahead of us tonight’, I say, ‘and before we proceed, I need you two to start working as a team, okay?’.

I don’t expect them to get along easily as there’s obviously a huge grudge between them, so I just look at them, waiting for the reply.

‘I don’t trust him!’ they both say at the same time and stare at each other in surprise. 

Portia giggles.

‘Now that’s a good start’, she says.

‘Are there any… specific reasons for that?’ I ask. In my vision of the future, they managed to overcome their differences, so I feel like there’s a lot that can be put aside for the greater good. I look at Julian expectedly, and so does everyone else.

‘I…’, he stumbles, blushing and avoiding Asra’s gaze, ‘he cursed me!’.

I look at him in surprise. So does Asra.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ he asks cautiously. Julian huffs in annoyance, and then takes a knife from the table. Seeing him holding a knife makes me uneasy, as I remember what happened in the Devil’s realm, but when Julian cuts his hand I can’t help but gasp in surprise - the cut heals in a second. I notice something else, and I know Asra notices it too - the mark on Julian’s neck, glowing white in the dim light of Portia’s candles.

‘I… have nothing to do with it’, Asra says finally, as shocked as I am, ‘But I have an idea where this came from. You see…’

He opens up his shirt and the very same mark on his chest becomes visible, as he pours some of his magic in it. I gasp once again - it’s one thing to hear about his deal with the Devil, but to see it… my hand goes up to my chest, as I try to feel my heartbeat. Asra looks at me for a moment, and then turns his gaze back to Julian.

‘I made a deal with one of the Arcana, magical being, to… get something I really needed. I believe you made the very same deal… but for your own reasons’.

‘Sounds like Ilya’, Portia says, her arms crossed across the chest, ‘Dumb-dumb’.

‘Hey!’, Julian frowns, ‘That’s… unexpected. Okay. Well, at least I have a good reason. Not that I remember much, at least not making a deal, but… I only found out today that I had an apprentice, so… my memory is not the strongest. But then again, why don’t you trust me?! I never gave you any reason to’

There’s so much sudden pain in his voice that I start to wonder - were him and Asra something more than colleagues…? I look at Asra. His eyes are half-closed, as he murmurs something to himself.

‘Alright’, he says finally, ‘I blamed you for failing someone very important to me. Not that it really matters now, when you don’t remember anything… but I guess I can make you apologize and pay for your mistakes when we bring your memories back. It’s why we are here, after all, isn’t it?’.

His gaze finally meets mine, and I nod.

‘It is. I believe we should bring Julian back to the scene of the crime to trigger some of his memories. Maybe with magic, if it helps. I also know that there’s a… goat-like creature walking around Lucio’s chambers. I saw it with my own eyes. If we are lucky, we may get a grip on Lucio himself!’

Enthusiasm in my voice doesn’t improve the general mood in the room, but at least Asra and Julian are no longer enemies. Portia looks at me, genuinely worried:

‘Please try not to awaken milady… that would be most unfortunate if she found Ilya in the castle. Oh, and just in case!’

She rushes to her room and takes out some old servant's uniform and a dusty wig. Julian looks at Portia and grins, he obviously cannot wait to put them on.

‘It will be just like community theatre!’

Asra rolls his eyes. I touch his foot with mine under the table and he smiles at me, warmly. As Julian leaves to change in other room, me and Asra stare at each other, silently sending each other our emotions. Portia silently hums to herself, absent-mindedly playing with her cat.

Suddenly, Julian calls my name from the other room. Asra and I exchange confused looks.

‘I… think, I should take a look’, I say apologetically, and stand up to join Julian. Asra doesn’t say anything, and I don’t know whether he’s upset or just… quite.

I find Julian standing in the middle of the room with the shirt in his hands, looking confused as ever. When he sees me, he grins and waves the shirt before my face.

‘This, um, this thing is way more complicated than it looks like. I feel like calling Pasha for help is way too embarrassing, so I, err…’

‘Give it here’, I smile at him and unlace a surprisingly complicated shirt so he can put it on. As he takes off his own shirt, I come closer and help him dress. As my fingers slide across his chest and back, buttoning up the shirt, I feel Julian’s heartbeat go faster. I can’t help but to bite my lip, as his fingers touch mine helping me with one specific button.

‘So, um…’, he starts awkwardly, ‘You and Asra, you are… together?’.

I shrug.

‘I guess we were always together, in a way. But now that I have my memories back and I know about things he did for me, we…’.

I can see that he avoids my gaze, so I try to give him some space and step back, but he stops me, quickly grabbing my hand. He is a bit flustered, but the look on his face is firm.

‘I don’t remember much about plague time, but… me and Asra were… I mean, it was never a big deal for him, but for me… ah, I guess once I fall, I fall’, Julian sighs, ‘People like you and him… you are so special. It’s hard not to get carried away. I, ugh, I’m happy for you two’.

‘Thank you, Julian’, I smile at him, and he smiles back, a little bit of mischief in his eyes.

‘Now get the hell out of here, I want to make an epic entrance in my new look’, he says, as he softly pushes me out of the door.

***

In half an hour all four of us silently move across the palace’s halls, until Portia finally points at a small corridor on our left. 

‘You go there, and I’ll make sure no one comes’, she says, ‘If anything goes sideways, err… just run!’.

We exchange grim looks as Asra creates a magic sphere in his palm. The darkness of the corridor slowly disappears. We enter and Asra immediately winces, the sphere in his hand getting weaker by the minute.

‘This place is no good for my magic’, he says and I nod. 

‘Same thing happened to me. You have to renew it every now and then. If you get tired, let me know’, I say and discreetly touch his arm, letting our magic unite for a moment. The sphere shines brighter.

Julian looks around frantically and I can see he’s worried. I share his concern, the corridor is a mess - like everything in Lucio’s wing, it’s mostly ruined by the fire and covered in dust.

‘Let’s just go ahead, okay?’ I ask him softly, and he smiles at me.

‘Okay’.

I take out my incense, lighting it up and waving it across the halls. The smoke curls up in different shapes as we move towards Lucio’s bedroom. I can feel the air of this place getting heavier with every step we take. Suddenly, I see two bright eyes shine in the darkness ahead of us.

‘Do you see that?’ Julian asks nervously. 

‘It’s… not Lucio’, I say, recognizing the shadow in front of us. We hear a loud yawn, as the white hound walks out of the shadows, sniffing air around us cautiously. 

‘Are you Mercedes?’ I ask, and the dog barks, sniffing my hand in search for treats. With a sad sigh, she turns around indifferently and walks away. I look at Asra and Julian and follow her.

When we enter the bedroom, Mercedes stops by the enormous portrait on the wall and whines. I come closer, and the dog starts scratching the floor by the wall with her claws.

Asra calls me by the name, nervously.

‘I think we should make a protective circle’, he reminds me, and I give him my bag while looking at the painting up close.

‘Cheeky, eh?’ Julian asks, standing beside me. ‘Such narcissism suits no one’.

‘True’, I smile at him, ‘How are you feeling?’.

‘You know… I was worried that the memories of this room will haunt me… but I feel nothing. Yet’, he shrugs. ‘Hey, am I the only one who thinks something’s very wrong with this frame?’

He runs his hand over the frame, and there’s a sudden ‘click’. The portrait moves aside, revealing a staircase going somewhere down below.

I look back at Asra, who’s very busy putting protective spells for upcoming ritual. Catching my gaze, he nods and says ‘Go. Just… be careful, you two’.

‘If we don’t come back in half an hour, fetch Nadia’, I command, ‘Don’t mention Julian was here. And for the sake of everything… don’t go after us!’.

The look on Asra’s face is grim, but he nods.

I take Julian's hand and we start our way down.


End file.
